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The Minnesota State Fair – more than just food on a stick!

by | Aug 21, 2018 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

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The Minnesota State Fair – more than just food on a stick!

Have you attended the largest twelve day event in North America? At first you might think, “no way”. Now we’ll ask, “Have you ever attended the Minnesota State Fair?” Then your answer might be, “Yes, I’ve been there.” These events are actually the same event. The Minnesota State Fair is the second largest state fair after Texas and the Minnesota State Fair is the largest twelve day event in North America, attracting nearly 1.8 million people.

We have been thinking about the Minnesota State Fair because this year it’s happening from August 23rd through September 3rd. History shows the Minnesota State Fair started in 1859. It moved to different locations around the state until it finally got its present home midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul in 1885.

Why do so many people go to the fair? For us, it was to learn about different things, enjoy the entertainment, check out the different foods (many on a stick) and make some good memories. Speaking of food, here is an amazing fact about food at the Fair from MnStateFair.org. How many cookies do you think Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar booth can produce every day? Answer – 3 million cookies! Yes, per day!

We each have particular memories of the State Fair that stand out. For me (Lynn) I was about seven years old. I was at the fair with my mom. We went to see some of the new-born piglets in the pig barn. As I was peering over the pen at the baby pigs, the huge mother pig, for some reason, got upset and charged the pen, broke through and started to come after me! Fortunately, there was a man next to me who lifted me up out of the way of the charging mother pig and put me down safely in an empty pig pen. That was pretty scary for me but I can sympathize with mama pig. If you’ve ever given birth, you probably agree that you wouldn’t want thousands of people tromping by to see you and the new arrival(s).

My (Doug) memory is not nearly as dramatic as Lynn’s! I love a vocal jazz group from years ago called The Manhattan Transfer. They were appearing at the State Fair in the grandstand, so a friend and I went to see them perform. They were amazing! Then to top it off, immediately after the performance, the fair had a huge fireworks display at the grandstand. We were so close I could feel the vibration in my chest with each explosion. It was quite a sensory experience.

To find out other people’s State Fair experiences, we went to Lake Ann Park. We met Carlton and Anne Moore, who have lived in Chanhassen for thirty years. We asked them about their memories of the Minnesota State Fair. Anne told us, “We don’t go every year but one of my treasured memories is of going to the State Fair. My brother-in-law was a trucker and he would come to the State Fair specifically to take a load of animals home. Goats and pigs were what he usually hauled. I grew up on a farm in Southwest Minnesota so this was a fun thing, especially for my children who got to go in his semi and go to the animal barns and help him load the animals. It’s a sweet memory. [Unfortunately], he happened to pass away a couple of years ago at a young age. It’s always a fond memory when we go to the Fair.”

About his Minnesota State Fair memories, Carlton said, “I like going to the DNR [Department of Natural Resources] building, just because I like to fish. I love to see all the fisheries and the fish in the pond that they always bring in and all the animal exhibits. We both like going to the animal barn. We enjoy those types of things at the Fair. It’s a fun place to go.”

We enjoyed hearing the memories that Anne and Carlton shared with us.

How about you? What memories do you have of the Minnesota State Fair?

Here’s a suggestion: Resurrect some of the memories that you have from past visits to the Fair. Did you have food on a stick? Maybe you have pictures and mementos from those visits and wonderful memories of others who were there with you. The Minnesota State Fair is happening now and you have another opportunity to make meaningful memories that you can relive for a lifetime.

Chanhassen residents Doug and Lynn Nodland are Success Coaches and owners of The Balance Center. They can be contacted at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2018 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.